The Bears Ears Inter-Tribal Coalition released the following statement on the June 2nd event hosted by Senator Hatch and attended by Governor Herbert, from Regina Lopez-Whiteskunk, Councilwoman with the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe:

“It is appalling that Senator Hatch and Governor Herbert would come to a place that is sacred to Tribes to promote misinformation about our proposal for a Bears Ears National Monument.  These politicians should have spent their time seeing firsthand the looting and damage to our ancestor’s graves and home sites. They could have chosen to work in good faith with Tribal leaders to protect this sacred land, but have consistently chosen not to. That’s why we need President Obama to help Tribes by designating a Bear Ears National Monument.“

The Bears Ears National Monument proposal was developed by the Bears Ears

Inter-Tribal Coalition in 2015 after six years of grassroots Native American engagement in San Juan County, UT and surrounding Tribal communities. Comprised of the Hopi, Navajo, Ute Indian Tribe, Ute Mountain Ute, and Zuni Tribes, the Bears Ears Inter-Tribal Coalition was formed in July of 2015 with the mission to protect and preserve the Bears Ears region in Southern Utah.

It has previously been falsely reported that Tribes are divided over the protection of Bears Ears. In fact, Tribes’ Bears Ears National Monument proposal enjoys formal support <http://www.bearsearscoalition.org/about-the-coalition/tribal-statements-of-support/> from more than 25 Tribes, and the National Congress of American Indians. In contrast to some county representatives, no Tribal Government has expressed opposition to the proposed Bears Ears National Monument.

To learn more about the Bears Ears region, the Bears Ears Inter-Tribal Coalition, and the Coalition’s proposal for a National Monument with collaborative management, visit:  www.ProtectBearsEars.org <http://www.protectbearsears.org/>